Secret of success

LALITHA THOMAS

So often we do not realise that behind great success and accomplishments there is a dreary tale of hard work. When we see successful people we tell ourselves that they are more talented or cleverer or luckier than us. But if we question them we will learn that their success was the outcome of perseverance, determination and hard work.

Some people waste time fantasizing. In their minds eye they achieve many things; they do the impossible; they are heroes or heroines. But sitting still, makes no person great.

A certain maharajah asked an artist to paint him a picture of his favourite elephant. The artist said it would take him one whole month to do it. Even though the maharajah was impatient for the picture he agreed to wait. At the end of the month the maharajah went to the artists studio to see what progress he had made with the picture. To his great annoyance he found a blank canvas and no indication that the painting was even started. But before the maharajah could give vent to his anger, the artist took up his brush and in a few moments the painting of the elephant was completed.

The maharajah was puzzled and asked. "If you could do this in a matter of minutes why did you make me wait all these weeks? You could have done it for me straight away."

"No your majesty, I could not" the artist said, leading him to an inner room, I had to practise first. The maharajah looked around the room, and saw to his amazement hundreds of sketches of the elephant in various poses and stages of completion. The days of practising had made him absolutely expert and he was able to paint the elephant with a few deft strokes of brush, in minutes.

Michaelangelo is believed to have told a friend, "if only people knew how hard I work to gain my mastery, my work would not seem so wonderful after all. I achieve the impossible only by working as none else ever did."

Winston Churchill's speeches were soul stirring, and inspired the soldiers of the second world war to perform brave acts for their country. The world knew him as a fine orator, but no one knew what happened behind the scenes away from the public eye. Before he made a speech he would practise in front of a mirror. Only when he was satisfied with every line, intonation and gesticulation would he face his audience.

We must have an aim. A distant one, and immediate ones which are little steps that bring us nearerly to the distant one. But in our eagerness to achieve our distant aim we must not get engulfed in mere day dreaming and fantasy lest we forget that the distant ambition can become a reality, only if we take pains to climb the little steps leading to it.

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